Königsstuhl (Rügen)

Königsstuhl (King's Chair) is the best-known chalk cliff on the Stubbenkammer in Jasmund National Park on the Baltic Sea island of Rügen. It lies at 118 m above sea level (NN).

Victoria-Sicht (Victoria's View) and Königsstuhl (King's Chair) from the Baltic Sea
Königsstuhl
Königsstuhl – seen from Victoria's View (2012)
Highest point
Elevation118 m above sea level (NN) (387 ft)
Coordinates54°34′23″N 13°39′45″E 
Geography
Geology
Mountain typeChalk

In 2004, Königsstuhl was incorporated into the terrain of Königsstuhl National Park Centre. It can be reached along a cliff top path, 11 kilometres long in total, that runs from Sassnitz to Lohme, or from the large car park in Hagen (in the municipality of Lohme) 3 km away. Since 2004, entry to the National Park Centre, and hence access to Königsstuhl, has been subject to a charge.

The narrow yet massive granite steps that lead to the plateau on Königsstuhl, 200 m² in area, lie over the site of what is suspected to be a Bronze Age barrow. From the plateau there is a sweeping view of the Baltic Sea. Königsstuhl itself is best seen from the viewing point of Victoria View (Victoria-Sicht) to the south.

There is a legend that the name Königsstuhl ("King's Chair") goes back to an event in 1715 when the Swedish king Charles XII is supposed to have commanded a sea battle against the Danes from this spot. The battle tired the ruler so much that he needed to take a chair.

However, the name Königsstuhl was used in a travel report by the vicar, Rhenan, in 1586, who had been tasked by the Pomeranian duke to find mineral springs; thus it is clear that it had been named much earlier.

According to a legend, the name is actually derived from a custom whereby in ancient times the person elected king was the first to climb the cliffs from the sea and sit in the chair on the top.

  • Victoria-Sicht (Victoria's View) and Königsstuhl (King's Chair) from above
  • View towards Stubbenkammer, the area around Königsstuhl
  • View from the beach
    (around 1900)
  • Königsstuhl as featured on an official GDR stamp in 1966
  • Postcard of Königsstuhl, 1927
  • Before 1970
  • On top of Königsstuhl, at 118m above sea level
  • View from Königsstuhl, northwards
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